Zero
by nlduffy
Summary: Birthday fic for Bunny, one shot


iDisclaimer: Cowboy Bebop and all it's related characters do not belong to me. sniffle My army of multicolored spork-bearing ninja squirrels are working tirelessly to change that fact, but until that glorious day I am required to announce this failure to you all.  
  
A/N: This is fanfiction not fanfact. I'm sure there are many versions of CBB characters floating around, and all of them have different histories. Ah, the joy of fanfiction.  
  
Meaning: if you don't like this version, go and make your own! Simple! Heh.  
  
Dedication: To Bunny. Because she's 18 today, and deserves something spiffy.i  
  
"Some day, I'm gonna get better food than this." Zero announced, poking his beef ramen with distaste. Annie plopped down next to him and complacently chewed away at her identical dinner. "What, my ramen not good enough for ya?" She questioned between mouthfuls. Zero sighed. "You know it's not that, Annie. It's just I know I'm gonna do better."  
Annie looked at him, this little eight year old, so sure he was going to be something in a crappy world. He was an orphan, he ex-boyfriend's sister's kid. When she and Justice broke up, Zero stayed with her. Not that she minded, the little squirt was fun to have around. Even if supporting him made money tight at times. Her job at the convenience store down the block paid well enough, and she often received large tips from the businessmen who frequented the street-side café where she worked weekends. She was even making enough to send Zero to Kung-Fu lessons now, having seen him come home with a black eye one too many times. Zero really liked Kung- Fu too, and the sensei thought he had real promise. "Be careful," he had warned her, "The syndicate would kill for a kid like Zero." Annie shuddered as she cleared away the supper dishes. There was no way they'd ever get Zero.  
  
"Zero Spiegel, age eight, ready to fight." "Elwood McHash, age ten, ready to fight." Annie winced in anticipation of the first blow, already wondering how much of her latest paycheck she'd have to spend on bandages. Zero was obviously overmatched, honestly! This Elwood was twice Zero's weight, and two years older. She tensed as she heard a punch land. Wait! Elwood was bleeding, not Zero! She watched in amazement as Zero moved forward, now confident. Right hook, left hook, uppercut, roundhouse. She smiled in relief. This was his element, this was his time.  
  
At age eight, Zero would have been the youngest ever to win the Annual Martian Kung-Fu Tournament. There was no doubt he was the best there. But the ranking official had disqualified him for his unorthodox fighting techniques. "Kung-Fu is an art form, a painting, not some ragtag collage." Now Zero walked next to Annie, fuming. "I should have won!" He pouted, clenching his fists. Annie patted him on the back. "I know, I know. But I thought you were very good." Pulling him into a hug, neither one noticed the large man come up behind them. "You Zero?" Asked the beefy man. Beefy was putting it politely. This man was 6'5, and at least 350 pounds. Zero squared his shoulders and looked straight up, looking the man in the eye. "Who's asking?" he demanded. Annie attempted to pull him away, afraid of what might happen. "Please, please don't let him be syndicate!" She prayed. Zero shrugged her off and stepped forward. "Elvin McHash. You already beat my boy, and I just wanted to see how you'd measure up against his old man." He swung a nasty looking piece of metal from hand to hand as he spoke. Zero quickly sized him up. "Yeah, I'll take you. But if I win, I get the railroad spike you've got there." Both Annie and McHash looked surprised at Zero's request. "So you know what this is," Elvin conceded "better than I expected from a little twerp like you. Sure you can have it...if you win." Annie screamed at them to stop as Elvin advanced. Zero turned and smiled at her. "Don't worry Annie, I'm like water."  
  
"You little ass." Annie chided as she guided Zero to the couch, where he flopped down. "I did beat him though!" He crowed as Annie grabbed a pack of frozen peas from the freezer and brought it over to him. "Yes you did, and I'm very proud. Now shut up and put this on your eye. I don't like the looks of that hit you took." Zero obediently took the impromptu ice pack and applied it to his swollen eye. "I should have asked for his brass knuckles too." He mused, looking at his recently won railroad spike. Annie stared at him "Brass knuckles? I didn't see any brass knuckles..." Zero looked at her. "He took them out after I broke his nose, but before I did the right hook to his cheekbone," He explained. "And that's when he got my eye. I wasn't paying attention." Annie sat down hard. Brass knuckles were a tradition among some syndicate members, the grunt workers who couldn't be trusted to win a fight on their own. She shuddered. She had been forced to treat the after effects of brass knuckles before. To the face, and especially the eye, the results weren't pretty. "Zero, I think we'll need to see a doctor about that eye..." Zero closed his un-swollen eye. "In the morning, okay?" Annie looked at him, suddenly seeing Zero for what he was in his current state: a tired little boy. She ruffled his curly, unmanageable greenish hair. "Yeah, in the morning." "Annie?" Zero whispered. She leaned closer. He yawned widely, then continued. "Do you think I could change my name to Spike?" Annie smiled. "Sure thing...Spike." 


End file.
